The Galesburg boys basketball team and its new head coach, Taylor Thiel, opened the 2025-26 season Wednesday with an 86-60 win over visiting Limestone.

Taylor Thiel coached his first game Nov. 28 and guided the Silver Streaks to a season-opening victory

“I didn’t know what to expect,” Thiel said after the game. “I think this team got us by 17 points last year, so the turnaround we had in the year was pretty incredible. I know they graduated some players, but yeah, to come in here, I really wanted this one.”

A ragged first quarter featured several lead changes, including a six-point edge for Limestone at one point. The Silver Streaks, led by eight points each from Keigen Crummer and Cesaire Bile, hung in and eventually regained the lead, 20-18, by the end of the quarter.

Keigen Crummer flies in for a layup against Limestone. Crummer’s eight first-quarter points helped keep the Silver Streaks close and eventually pull ahead.

“Obviously, in the first half when we had a little lull there in the first minutes of the first quarter, we allowed some offensive rebounding,” Thiel said. “We’ve got a little cleanup to do on that, keeping on the defensive boards. We could have had some extra possessions there early. We did end up taking the lead at the half, which was great.”

Crummer stayed hot in the second quarter, adding nine more points to finish with 20. Galesburg led 40-31 at halftime.

In the second half, the Streaks began to pull away, though Limestone made a couple of runs in the third and early fourth quarters. Bile and Jaxon Wyatt each scored seven in the third, helping Galesburg push the lead to 14 entering the fourth.

Bile and Wyatt struck again to snuff a Rockets rally early in the final frame. Bile hit two 3-pointers, and Wyatt knocked down two 3s and added a bucket as Galesburg began to put the game out of reach.

Jaxon Wyatt flips in two points from under the basket. Wyatt scored 15 points in the second half to help Galesburg roll past Limestone.

“We built a little bit of a lead, and when they hit a couple shots, I think the kids had confidence at that point,” Thiel said. “They saw that with the pressure we were putting on them and the turnovers we created and the shots that we were hitting, it didn’t faze them.”

Thiel credited the team’s defensive pressure and energy for wearing Limestone down.

“And then when we wore them down, we put our foot on the throttle and we kept going,” he said. “I would never imagine that we would score 86 points in the first game, but it feels good and it looked good.”

Cesaire Bile, 10, stretches for a pass in a dunk attempt for the Silver Streaks. Bile led the team in scoring with 23 points.

For Thiel — coaching just feet from the “John Thiel Gymnasium” lettering honoring his grandfather — the win was an emotional relief.

“I’ll be honest with you, the last three days have been a wreck,” he said. “Obviously, it was emotional. But yeah, I couldn’t be prouder of the guys. They really stepped up.”

He added: “It was the first time the community was going to see the new vision for the team and how we were and me as the coach. And the first one, yeah, the first one was very, very good to get tonight for me.”

(Photos by Loran Lewis)

Upcoming schedule

Galesburg hosts its Thanksgiving tournament Nov. 28-29. The Streaks face Madison on Nov. 28 and Chicago Little Village on Nov. 29. Both games start at 6 p.m.

After a home game against Pekin on Dec. 2, Galesburg goes on the road to play Alleman on Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. The Streaks then return home for four straight games.

Scoring

Galesburg: Bile 23, Wyatt 21, Crummer 20, Leslie Kelley 5, Stone Thiel 4, Rahkim McCellan 4, Tobi Kivunina 3, Day’Vion Jones 2, Eden Mayala 2, Demetrius Watson 2.
Limestone: Lawrence Alexander 12, Preston Quine 12, Lucas Subbert 12, Kayvion Graham 10.

The Galesburg sophomore team defeated Limestone 64-46.